The Sun

The planet of expression, energy, and ego

The Sun is the most powerful body in Astrology's sky. It influences the way we express ourselves, our overall energies, and our broad personalities. While you have many signs -- every planet in our solar system was in one of the 12 zodiac signs when you were born -- your Sun sign is what's generally referred to as your zodiac sign. Hey, baby, what's your sign?

In Astronomy, the Sun is the center of our solar system, and all the planets orbit around it. Astrology, however, is Earth-centric, meaning it's based on our perspective of the planets, and their relationship to each other from here on Earth. So, when the Sun shifts from one zodiac sign to the next, it's not the Sun that is physically moving, but our viewpoint of it -- and therefore, our connection to and relationship with its energies from Earth.

The Sun in mythology: In Roman mythology, the Sun is associated with Apollo (or in Greek mythology, Helios), the God of Light or the Sun God

Sun and Leo

The expressive Sun is associated with the zodiac sign Leo. Just like the Sun is the center of the solar system, Leo likes to be the center of everyone's attention! In Astrology, Leos are known to dazzle with charm, drama, and warmth. The Sun is a physical manifestation of all these characteristics.

The Sun and the 5th House

The Sun rules the 5th House of Expression. The 5th House encourages creativity and fun! This house, like the Sun and Leo, is about being open to new experiences and enjoying life: through romance, hobbies, children, and even gambling.

The Sun's Lessons

This content was written by Tarot.com writer Jeff Jawer.

The gifts of the Sun are open hearts, generous spirits, creative impulses, playfulness, and love. It is the astrological symbol of life and identity, the luminous self, inside the web of relationships, and ideas and activities that occupy much of our lives. You can get deep psychological insight about how the Sun and other planets shape who you are with a personalized birth chart.

The Sun is life itself, and as such, is not frozen in the past of personal history or limited in the shell of one's ego. While we usually identify with its qualities according to the sign it was in when we were born, it is really about being fully conscious in the present, and also creative about the future. The Sun is more connected with who we are becoming than where we have been.

Play is a good way to tap into the power of the Sun. Innocent enjoyment without ambition or goal reconnects us to our inner child. It's a way to live in the present rather than getting lost in the hopes we have for tomorrow, or regrets from the past. The freedom to enjoy ourselves opens the heart and activates the creative force of the Sun. It also makes it easier to give and receive love.

The fiery Sun is also about taking risks by expressing ourselves with less concern regarding the consequences. This is not, however, an excuse to criticize other people because the key to solar consciousness is to stay connected with yourself. The power to transform your life is not in the hands of others, but instead lies within your own body, mind, and spirit. When we extend ourselves into the world with play, art, imagination, and physical activity, the Sun shines brightly in our hearts.

The Sun represents courage, which comes from the Latin root for heart. Being courageous, though, is not the absence of fear, but rather the willingness to take action in spite of it. Practicing bravery on a small scale trains us to be strong when facing difficult circumstances. The heart is a muscle, and it can be strengthened by staying alert and being truthful when we'd prefer to quit or hide.

Self-confidence is a quality associated with the Sun, but one that is often misunderstood. There are powerful-looking individuals who appear to be strong, yet they lack compassion for others. This is not true confidence that flows from the heart -- it is aggression mixed with competence that masks underlying insecurities.

When we connect to the Sun, there is no need to be a bully or to greedily hog the spotlight. Solar strength is patient and generous, it is creative and filled with the joy that comes from truly loving ourselves.

It is not in the doing that we find the Sun; it is in being. The simple process of paying full attention to the present releases waves of energy for us to use as we choose. We connect to the Sun with play, risk-taking, creativity, generosity, and love that warms our hearts and fills our lives with light.